City of Sacramento Police Department

MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release No. 20090506-095Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Police Arrest Two in Kidnapping For Ransom Plot

On Sunday, May 3, 2009, at about 10:30 p.m., officers from the Sacramento Police Department responded to Montpelier Way to investigate a reported kidnapping. The initial information gathered indicated that the victim was a 31-year-old man that had been kidnapped earlier in the evening. The suspects called the victim's wife and demanded the exchange of the wife's brother for the victim.

Detectives from the Sacramento Police Department's Felony Assaults Unit took over the investigation. Investigators learned that the victim had been kidnapped from his home and taken to a location in the Bay Area. They also confirmed that the suspects demanded to know the location of the wife's brother, as well as obtaining the title to his car, in exchange for the safe release of the victim. It is believed that there was a dispute over drugs and money between the suspects and the victim's wife's brother. The suspects wanted to get a hold of the brother but when they couldn't, they kidnapped the victim and held him for ransom.

Investigators developed information that led them to believe the suspects and the victim were in Sunnyvale. Detectives from the Sacramento Police Department as well as the Career Criminal Apprehension Team (CCAT) responded to Sunnyvale. With the assistance of the Sunnyvale Police Department's SWAT Team, the suspects were located and the victim was rescued.

Two suspects, 33-year-old Francisco Gutierrez-Cardenas and 27-year-old Maria Lopez-Moreno were arrested (booking photos are attached). They were transported back to Sacramento Tuesday morning and booked into the County Jail on kidnapping for ransom among other charges.

The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information pertaining to this crime to contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP or text in a tip by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.